Johor/Malacca Maqis director Siti Nur Ahmad (3rd left) said the non-halal meat, believed to be pig intestines, was found in the same containers as packages labelled lamb meat.Pic by NSTP/ZULKARNAIN AHMAD TAJUDDIN

ISKANDAR PUTERI: The Department of Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Service (Maqis) today seized four 30-tonne containers of halal and non-halal frozen meat stored together in a cargo shipment area at the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) here.

The mixed consignment, which constituted a violation for import and export goods in Malaysia, was discovered based on a public tip-off received on May 31.

Johor/Malacca Maqis director Siti Nur Ahmad said the non-halal meat, believed to be pig intestines, was found in the same containers as packages labelled lamb meat.

"When we traced the importer – a local frozen food operator based in Selangor – we called them up to explain their consignment," she said, adding that the non-halal meat was stacked in the middle of the other stacks of meat packages labelled lamb.

Each container was estimated to have about 30 tonnes of meat.

"The importer had also violated their import permit, as the frozen meat approved for import was from Australia – but the meat we found in the container was from Spain," she said.

Siti Nur said the offence falls under Section 11(1) of the Maqis Act 2011 for importing goods without a valid permit.